home educating the foursome and travel writing, the perfect mix

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can you send me more deet?

You know, I’ve actually photographed the blog site photo. The background is a glimmering orange with the Nairobi airport to the right, but the tree just the same.

I asked someone if there was a nature guide to name the vegetation and insects for me. I was told that most don’t know the names, just know whether they’re safe or not. Agnes, our house helper, confirmed all of Zach’s fears. Indeed there are spiders we should eliminate; that they might even be poisonous. Okey dokey, so it’s not just the spider police that need to discard the indoor insects (spider police: Rachel and Zach hand in hand armed with a kleenex–they don’t actually attempt to squash it, just throw the kleenex on top of it in hopes that it’ll disappear).

Madelyn had a nasty bite on her heal from an ant too. Hannah got the end of a sharp nail through her heal, searching for the soccer ball, and more than a few nasty insect welts. I underestimated the need for insect repellant. I found Zach happily spraying Deep Woods on his lips today. Into the tub he went. As for the deet, I can find it downtown. Now to find slippers so I don’t step on any more spiders.

The Kapsowar market provided us with a three dollar pair of OR shoes for Jim, four tiny, but tasty mangoes, and a papaya for breakfast. The ATM wasn’t working; yes, the ATM. For the very first time I had a first hand glimpse of a policeman. Not sure if that is what you call them, but they are dressed like commandos with AK47s, and look very intimidating. Perhaps I’m just influenced by too much north american television; maybe RCMP, with their bright red, yellow striped uniforms and handguns look just as threatening in another culture—ya, I’m with you, not so much!